Vikki Thomas, safe and well manager said, “Although it has been fairly mild so far this winter, colder weather is just around the corner. As temperatures drop, it’s inevitable that people will want to spend more time indoors, staying as warm as possible. Using additional heating is understandable, especially for anyone now working at home all day as well, but this can increase the risk of fire. By following some simple advice, you can stay safe and warm.

“We are here to help and offer advice. If you are in doubt over any fire safety issues, please do get in touch, and always remember to test your smoke detector every week, as working smoke detectors save lives. We’d also recommend carbon monoxide alarms to warn against the risk of CO poisoning – it could be the best thing you buy this year.”

Open fires may be relaxing and atmospheric, whereas portable heaters are handy to move around – but it’s important to use them safely:

• Always use a fireguard to protect against flying sparks and hot embers from an open fire
• Use a metal container to store any ashes
• Make sure ashes are not left near any potentially flammable objects
• Ensure ashes are completely out before disposing
• Make sure embers are under control and properly extinguished before you go out or go to bed
• Get your chimney swept regularly
• Keep heaters at least one metre (3ft) away from curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes
• Always unplug electric heaters when you go out or go to bed
• Gas fires should be serviced every year by a competent engineer

Electric blankets can help you keep warm during the cold nights, but they can be a danger if not used properly – 440 injuries result from every 1,000 fires started by an electric blanket:

• Never use hot water bottles in the same bed as an electric blanket, even if the blanket is switched off
• Unplug blankets before you get into bed, unless they have a thermostat control for safe all-night use
• Folding up electric blankets damages the internal wiring, so store them flat or rolled up instead

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service offers free Safe & Well checks – to find out more, call 0800 038 2323 or visit www.dwfire.org.uk